Thank God for the fast-forward button. Sadler’s Wells had planned a tentative return to live performance last month but the renewed lockdown forced a rethink and the programme was niftily reconfigured for the small screen. The result, Dancing Nation, is a generous serving of old, new and borrowed work from 15 UK dance-makers. Unfortunately the BBC’s three hour-long iPlayer films pad out the dance content with interviews and mission statements plus non-stop Yentobbing from the inevitable talking head.
Brenda Emmanus, one-time frontwoman of BBC’s The Clothes Show, speaks fluent presenterese, emphasising every other word and greeting each number with kindergarten delight: ‘What a treat we have for you!… Another thought-provoking, exciting line-up of dance for you to enjoy.’ Whatever happened to captions?
Matthew Bourne’s 1988 hit, Spitfire, is a saucy but affectionate parody of ballet manhood styled in the manner of an underwear catalogue. Characterful, clever and brisk, Bourne’s pocket classic gets the first hour off to a deceptively jolly start.
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